Changing the Small Things (An Intro to Permaculture)

Welcome back to the Roots and Refuge Podcast. Today I have a special guest with me today, and if you've watched me on YouTube for long, you've probably seen him in my videos. It's Mr. Wil Kunkle from Honeybee Hollow Gardens.

In this episode, we're diving into permaculture basics and what we can do right now to start seeing a change.

Strings tied to a metal rack with compost tea bags hanging into a large barrel of compost tea.

About Wil

Wil works with us on the farm and Miah says he may be the only person he's met that's more excited about growing stuff than I am.

Growing up as an only child, Wil spent most of his days in the woods. When he was in college he was studying biofuel and what goes into producing it. At about that same time, he heard Joel Salatin on a podcast where he said the backyard garden is the most productive form of agriculture out there.

He then found himself knee-deep in studying poly-cultures, the benefits of growing multiple crops together and learning more about permaculture. Now, Wil and his wife Taylor are dear friends teaching us amazing new things (Taylor is who introduced me to making homemade basil tea! I may exaggerate, but that recipe was life-changing.).

The Basics of Permaculture

Permaculture is the study of the relationship of all things. Nothing is isolated. We can't just look at pests on a plant and spray that plant without thinking about how it will affect everything. What will that spray do to the plant and the food on that plant.

Then, when the rain washes that spray down into the soil and the runoff, what will it affect?

Our culture is very short-sided with how we treat the earth. Our city sprays the roadways to keep the plants from growing up along the road. But what they don't realize is that spray seeps down into our waterways and aquifer and will continue to affect us negatively for years to come.

Garden beds being prepared with compost.

Change the Small Things

It's so easy to look at larger issues going on in the world and feel a bit helpless in changing them at all. This is where I say to look at the small things that are around you, the things you do have control over and do those well.

Join me and Wil in this podcast episode where we discuss many things we, as gardeners, can do to start implementing permaculture practices to create healthier soil and healthier plants.